A Look Inside Atlas

By Rich Smith, 06-29-2017

Since the day we opened our doors, we wanted to be different. We wanted a company that was transparent and honest. We wanted a workforce that was fluid and free to adapt. We could see where others had gone wrong, and we swore that wouldn't be us. We'd learn from those mistakes and not let history repeat itself.

One of the first things we realized is the commonly used model of recruitment is out of date. So in order to change the model, we have to change how we work internally. Recruit, train, manage, then evaluate seems more like something out of Mad Men. Fun to watch on TV but not how we wanted to operate. Atlas is a company where hierarchy is replaced by creativity, sense and respond, peer to peer collaboration, empowerment and improvisation. True success does not come from micromanagement, or layers of management in big offices whose only job is self-preservation. It comes from working together for the good of the company, the good of the client hospitals, and the good of the nurses working in the field.

Hiring and Preserving the Culture of Atlas

It's no secret this industry is growing. So with that growth comes new staff. So how do we find people that believe the vision of Atlas? One simple word: Referrals. It's not a new concept, but it's one that we believe in very strongly. There are a lot of good people out there, and the one question we ask every time is "if you owned Atlas, would you hire this person". Because in a sense, every internal employee at Atlas is an "owner". They are empowered to make decisions that best serves their client hospitals and nurses free of top down management. (We'll get into the details of that a bit later.) If you approach that question from an ownership standpoint, the answer is always different. We only want the best of the best at Atlas, and everyone believes in that.

Management and Call Quotas

More and more we see others operating in a Dilbert style bureaucracy where disconnected managers make decisions based on their paycheck or some faceless ownership group. That might work in other industries, but it proven to be out of touch in ours. Here's why:

In the Dilbert world, companies are divided into two groups. The governors and the governed. At the very top sits the disconnected management structure, and at the very bottom sit the boots on the ground employees who actually do all the work. Generally those at the top haven't talked to a nurse or negotiated a hospital contract in years. They talk of the good old days before 2008 like that's how things operate today. Staffing has changed dramatically, and those old methods no longer apply. What this creates is a bureaucracy, a sort of used car "I have to check with my manager" world. They've created a bubble in which they bounce around inside but can never break out of. Employees are hyper-supervised and forced to make phone calls because of a quota. Have you ever received a call from the same company five times in a day? I heard a story just last week of nurse that received a call from four different recruiters at the same company within a four hour period. How is that effective? In what world does this make good business sense?

This isn't Atlas. We don't count calls. We don't monitor calls. Our recruiters don't have headcount goals. We have standards not rules. Rules are generally created in a vacuum. We aren't building widgets in a factory. There are real people on the other side of that phone that have a family. Our success comes from spending the time with each of you and really learning about who you are and what you need. And it's done in a way you like to communicate. Don't like phone calls? Try text, email or even Facebook messenger. Communication is dictated by the nurse, not a manager at the agency micromanaging a group of

Leadership

So with all this comes the inevitable question: with no management how do things get done? How are decisions made? Ironically, that question was already answered. Please refer back to paragraph two. Believe it or not, it works. Don't believe it? Come visit us. I sit at the reception desk, and will greet you when you come in the door. (You'd think we'd find someone better looking, but this is what you get.) Steve and I may "run" the day to day operations of Atlas, but we also still work with hospitals and talk to nurses every day. This is how we stay grounded and ahead of the curve. If you are driving the ship, you best have a clear view of what's ahead.

I'd encourage every one of you reading this to take a look at the company you work for and ask questions. Who is in charge? Where did they come from and what do they believe in? Can you talk to them? Would they take your call? We're the fastest growing staffing company in the country, and I'd welcome that call. My extension is 105. Give it a try, see what happens!